Libya Christians

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian Christians who recently were released by Libyan militias say they were tortured while in custody.

Two of them told of being rounded up in a market by gunmen who checked their right wrists for tattoos of crosses.

They're among scores of Egyptian Christians who were detained by Libyan militias in the eastern city of Benghazi for alleged proselytizing. One died in custody and his family says he was tortured.

The first word that dozens of Egyptian Christians had been detained spread after a video clip surfaced last month showing a Libyan militiaman in uniform holding a group of Christian Egyptians.

The video showed Bibles and Christian books next to the detainees. It surfaced only few days after authorities announced the arrest of an Egyptian, South Korean, South African and Swede, who had an American passport, for allegedly spreading Christianity.